New Community Emergency Response Team class begins in South Windsor

Several South Windsor residents, along with some town employees interested in becoming part of a Community Emergency Response Team, attended the first session. Photo by Annie Gentile.

Several South Windsor residents, along with some town employees interested in becoming part of a Community Emergency Response Team, attended the first session. Photo by Annie Gentile.

Annie Gentile,Reminder News

How can you help the town of South Windsor prepare for an emergency?

Connecticut towns have experienced some rough few years weather-wise, with the unprecedented October 2011 snowstorm and hurricanes Irene and Sandy not that far behind us. Without heat or electricity, gas for vehicles, and, in many cases, water from the tap, and with roads impassable for days on end, residents confronted not just minor inconveniences, but sometimes life-threatening situations. For many people, such experiences were a wake-up call, leaving residents wanting to know more about how they can better prepare themselves for a disaster and how they might also help their neighbors in need.

On Thursday, Sept. 25, the South Windsor Office of Emergency Management kicked off its second Community Emergency Response Team basic training class. A program of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, CERT classes educate community volunteers in disaster preparedness and response skills.

In disaster situations, first responders are often overloaded with responsibilities, their resources stretched to capacity. CERT teams augment the work of first responders, freeing them up to use their resources in more effective ways.

"This class is designed to give [participants] a framework for what you may encounter as part of a CERT team," said South Windsor Emergency Manager Jay Gonzales. Gonzales joined lead instructor Holly Jacobs, who works out of the Manchester CERT team to provide an introduction and overview of the eight-week course program. The program provides training in emergency communications, such as ham radio operation, medical assessment and treatment, CPR training, fire safety, and shelter management - and, like all bureaucracies, it also involves learning the appropriate associated paperwork. Upon completion of the course, CERT members meet monthly to continue to hone their skills. Members can also continue their education to get specialized training in any number of areas.

"We've found the best approach to the CERT training program is to have different instructors for the different portions of the class," said Jacobs. For example, South Windsor fire service personnel provide the fire safety training portion of the program, and a shelter manager from Manchester provides the instruction for the sheltering portion. By utilizing a variety of instructors from different agencies and town departments, she said it not only keeps the course fresh, but helps CERT members and first responders develop a good working relationship.

Jacobs said CERT teams are deployed not only to work in disaster situations but also wherever their work can assist first responders. They also coordinate with neighboring town CERT teams where a larger number of hands may be needed. One example was the recent Cruisin' on Main event in Manchester, which each year brings thousands of spectators downtown to view vintage cars on display and enjoy a variety of other activities. For this occasion, the Manchester and Vernon CERT teams collaborated to help with communication needs, manage sanitation, and provide several extra sets of eyes and ears for emergency needs.

Jacobs said oftentimes people are reluctant to get CERT training because they are concerned they are not as able-bodied as they may once have been and can't do some of the physical work that may be required. This, however, should not be a concern, as no CERT member would be obligated to take on a task they felt they were not comfortable doing.

"Everybody brings something to the table," Gonzales said. For some, that could be knowing a second language. It could be having experience working in a hospital, administrative skills, or having a ham radio license. "It really takes all of us to help," he said.